When looking for the best Vegas breakfast, we have an amazing list for you to choose from. My parents would take us to a breakfast buffet at least once per week during my adolescent years. Growing up in Las Vegas, buffets were one of the main features in every casino and they were cheap! Breakfast was always the least expensive buffet no matter the location. Mom didn’t have to cook, there were no dishes to scrub, and the five of us could dine, many times for under $20.
I used to marvel at the seemingly endless array of different foods at my disposal, and as a kid, I could pack it away! As an adult, however, buffets no longer excite me. Quality over quantity makes more sense. Humble diners and hole-in-the-wall family restaurants are where I have always felt the most comfortable ordering a plate full of protein and carbs, my favorite being chicken fried steak.
Now, those of you that know me know that DTLV is my jam. Downtown Vegas is where I like to spend most of my time and it pains me to know that folks from all over the world visit Fremont Street and Old Vegas without being properly informed. Many of them head straight to the closest buffet, as my family did.
I’m here today to help you make a better decision, my friends 🙂 If you are looking for the best Vegas breakfast without breaking the bank, then read onward for a list of my favorite places around Old Las Vegas to rustle up the most important meal of the day!
Vickie’s Diner
Walk (or stumble, depending on the night you just had) one block north along Las Vegas Blvd. from the STRAT Casino to Oakey Blvd. and discover a hidden gem that many tourists would overlook simply because of the location. Vickie’s Diner has been in business for 6 years but the place has a much broader history.
The building has been around since the 1940s and the diner was part of a local grocery store and pharmacy, which are no longer in business. Trust me, go inside. Chances are, Vickie’s smiling face will greet you as you enter. The walls and furniture are all pink because pink is Vickie’s favorite color. Her cooks serve up amazing diner-style breakfast plates with a heaping side of their home fried potatoes. Trout and eggs, pork chops and eggs, a giant t-bone steak and eggs…you get the point.
There are many options but I always order their chicken fried steak! The steak is hand-pounded, breaded, and cooked on the flat grill, not deep-fried. They also plop some gravy on the plate underneath the steak so that it doesn’t slide all over when you’re trying to cut it. How thoughtful! Vicky’s Diner is open from 6 am to 3 pm. Please be aware that the surrounding area is sort of rough. You may encounter homeless and hookers but make sure you visit. You’ll be glad you did!
Binion’s Cafe
Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel is known worldwide as the birthplace of the World Series of Poker, but most people aren’t aware that the casino features an in-house butcher shop where all meats are cut and ground daily to be served at all of the restaurants in the building.
Step inside from Fremont Street and look for the line of hungry humans waiting to be seated at their high volume style diner. Binion’s Cafe is open from 7 am until 2 am and on of the best Vegas breakfast is served all day. Service is adequate but understand that if it is busy, they will try to get you in and out as efficiently as possible.
This is another place I frequent for their stellar chicken fried steak because it is hand-battered and the portion size is great for the price. They also offer a giant ham steak with eggs, as well as a half-pound hangover burger with hash browns and a fried egg. Speaking of hash browns, these are the butteriest hash browns I have ever had in my life…so yummy!
Prices are reasonable at Binion’s Cafe. The ham steak and chicken fried steak are each $8.99 with a players club card, so make sure you visit the club counter before heading to the cafe.
Du-par’s Restaurant and Bakery
This iconic restaurant, originally from southern California, opened for the first time outside of the state in 2010 and into the oldest building in Las Vegas, the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino located on the corner of Fremont and Main Street. Dupar’s offers an assortment of fresh-baked cakes, pies, and desserts from their bakery.
They also invented the patty melt and feature the world’s best pancakes. These pancakes are drenched in real butter and served with your choice of boysenberry or real maple syrup. I’ve made my way here many countless times to meet up with family and friends for a hearty breakfast.
In 2016, they opened up a second location inside the Suncoast Hotel and Casino on the west side of Las Vegas and just in time, because sadly, the restaurant closed their doors to their legendary downtown location a few years ago after the Golden Gate changed ownership. Du-par’s is about a 20 minute drive from DTLV and it’s worth a trip to try their stellar homestyle breakfast, decadent desserts, and the best pancakes on the planet.
Jerry’s Famous Coffee Shop
Back in the day, the family would meet up with the grandparents for the best Vegas breakfast every other weekend at Jerry’s Nugget Casino just north of DTLV. Jerry’s Famous Coffee Shop has been a local favorite since 1964 when two dudes both named Jerry opened up the place. After breakfast, the adults would play nickels while we blew a twenty in the arcade.
Jerry’s Nugget, once a local hot spot, is clinging to life today, fighting for attention against a multitude of other local casinos that have opened over the years. The coffee shop is still kicking out yummy choices, though, like the Machaca shredded beef scramble, Greek omelet, a breakfast burrito the size of your noggin, sizzling skillets, and oh yes… chicken fried steak! The biscuits and gravy are definitely worth a mention. Made from scratch, fluffy, filling, and delicious.
The atmosphere is dated yet clean, welcoming, and super family-friendly. Your grandparents will love this place. Jerry’s Nugget Casino is located 2 miles north of Fremont Street on Las Vegas Blvd. I have to warn you, this area is sorta sketchy so you may want to use a ride share service.
PublicUs
With the recent opening of the historic refurbished Ferguson’s Downtown, as well as upgrades to the surrounding streets and sidewalks, Fremont Street East has become a welcoming sight. Keep strolling east beyond the Container Park and Atomic Liquors to the corner of Maryland Parkway and Fremont Street and you’ll find one of the most unique eateries in DTLV.
PublicUs, meaning “for the people” in Greek, was opened by a competitive champion barista and coffee aficionado in 2015. PublicUs is listed as a canteen-style restaurant and coffee house. This means there are no servers and common tables means that you will probably be enjoying breakfast with locals and wandering tourists. There are live trees in the dining area, an open kitchen, and a delightful array of chef-inspired meals and pastries, set up like an art exhibit, behind glass as you wait in line to place your order.
The menu changes daily, featuring farm-to-fork proteins and produce. What’s fun to me about this joint is it’s a new culinary experience every time I dine. For my first visit, I ordered their loco moco, which is a Hawaiian plate breakfast featuring a hamburger patty over rice rice, topped with gravy and an over-easy egg. The gravy was rich and savory while the quality of the meat was evident in the taste. I discovered shakshuka on my second visit to PublicUs.
It looked so good behind the glass, I didn’t even ask questions as I ordered the Mediterranean breakfast staple which, as it turns out, are eggs that are poached in a spicy red pepper and tomato sauce. It was served with a generous slice of freshly baked bread. Most everything is made fresh in house, including their nut milks. PublicUs also offers one of the best wifi connections of any place in DTLV. I would strongly suggest adding this place to your list!
Eat.
If you haven’t already, you need to find yourself at the corner of 7th Street and Carson Avenue one morning for breakfast. It’s a MUST! Anthony Bourdain stopped by and gave praise to Chef Natalie Young’s first restaurant during one of his many visits to Vegas. Chef Nat is a French culinary-trained chef with over 20 years of experience and a passion for preparing amazing food.
The first item on the menu is huevos motulenos, a traditional breakfast dish from the Yucatan which includes eggs over easy, black beans, pico de gallo, and bananas, served over corn tortillas. This meal is unique and a nice break from the usual American morning meal. Chef Nat’s chicken fried steak is my favorite in town, hands down.
The steak is unbelievably melt-in-your-mouth tender, hand-battered, and topped with savory homemade pork gravy. The roasted chive potatoes are fabulously savory and tasty. You may find yourself ordering a second helping for $3. CAN I GET AN AMEN for their sourdough toast, please? Thick, hearty, and tastes “straight from the bakery” fresh!! You know you’re in the right spot when the side items deserve a spotlight.
Service has always been decent regardless of how busy they are. Chef Young now has three restaurants around the Las Vegas Valley, but make sure you visit Eat. when you’re visiting downtown Las Vegas.
Try One Of Our Best Vegas Breakfast Choices
Any of the dining destinations listed above are certain to leave you full and satisfied. If you have a great experience from one of these restaurants to share, please tell us about it in the comments. Have you discovered an amazing breakfast elsewhere in DTLV? Tell us about that too. And don’t forget to book me as your downtown foodie tour guide at tastebuzzvegas.com when you visit Las Vegas. See you soon!!
